A Beginner's Guide to Barnes
Barnes & Noble is a billion-dollar company that supplies readers and students everywhere with the most basic things they need: books. But that’s not all! You can find an obscene number of knick-knacks and odds and ends at your local B&N (as it is affectionately referred to by those of us who frequent it way too often). With the café, electronics and digital media section, and aisles of books of every kind suited to your every possible need, you can find nearly anything you might need there. Step One: Parking Going to Waterford Lakes Town Center is a daunting task even for its most seasoned visitors. Since the mall is essentially split into two sections—one on each side of the main road—it is easy to get confused as to where your destination is. If you’re looking to take a trip to book-lovers heaven, you’re going to want to head to the side of Waterford that has the movie theater. So, when you are going south on Alafaya/the 417, it will be on your left. As you approach the turn, you will see the characteristic ivy green of the Barnes & Noble sign against the pale peach backdrop and you’ll know you’re in the right place. You make the turn at the light and come to a stop at the four-way stop sign. From there, you have two options: continue straight and make the next right near Francesca’s boutique, or you can make a right at the first stop. Either way, there will be a large number of parking spots available. Some of the spots will be a bit of a tight fit for larger vehicles, but you can always find an empty spot further away. Once you find your spot, you’re good to go! Step Two: Into the Belly of the Beast Walking into Barnes & Noble is something akin to sensory overload—or worse, literature overload. At Barnes & Noble Waterford Lakes, there are aisles that seem to stretch on for miles, so don’t be surprised when it seems like there are far too many options and not nearly enough time. Before you barge into the stacks, you have to remember what your reason for entering is in the first place: business or pleasure. Are you there to pick up a book for class? Are you looking for a new DVD or CD? Trying to find a new planner? Or are you simply looking for the newest addition to your To Be Read pile? No matter your reason, there are two ways you can approach it. A. Ask the nearest employee. (They’re usually the ones sporting either a green Barnes & Noble lanyard or some other B&N regalia, mostly t-shirts.) B. Wander around until you find whatever section you’d like. Option A: Ask the nearest employee. If you choose to interact with another person rather than wander around, there are a few things you should know if you’re trying to find a book, vinyl, CD, or anything else. If you are looking for a book, you should have the basics ready: genre, title, and/or author. If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking for, you can always ask for recommendations! The employee will ask you what kind of novels you enjoy, what authors you normally read, or if you’re looking for something new. After that, they should personally escort you to whatever section you need to be in! Option B: Wander. For those souls unafraid to get a little lost—or if you have a little extra time on your hands—wandering is never a bad idea! There are signs hanging from the ceiling that identify each section for you. To the left of the store you will find stationery and other random office knick-knacks, as well as the cash registers. To the immediate right, you will find an extensive magazine section featuring any topic you can imagine. Past that, you'll see the novels. In the very back, you can find CDs, DVDs, board games, vinyls, and more in the electronics and entertainment section. If you have the time, wandering around is a wonderful idea! You never know what you might find when you just browse. Although you may occasionally pass a friendly employee who will ask if you need help, you can generally explore the store without interacting with many others. Step Three: Found What You're Looking For? Once you’ve chosen your path, Ask or Wander, you essentially have two options from there. Café Time! ''' If you haven’t yet encountered it, you can head over to the café. Nestled near the far-left corner of the store, the aromas of coffee, baked goods, and sandwiches will lead you right to it. With a wide selection of everything from coffee and tea to cheesecakes and sandwiches, the café is the perfect place to hit if you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up or just want to sit and relax for a bit with your latest find. The good thing is: you can pay for your things there! If you’ve found a good book that you’d like to buy, but also want to enjoy a delicious chocolate chip brownie, you can make both purchases at once at the café counter! A word of caution, though! Due to its proximity to the UCF Main Campus, this Barnes & Noble is often frequented by UCF students looking for a quiet place to work on their assignments. If you go at peak studying hours (AKA later than 5 P.M.), there is a good chance that nearly all of the tables will be taken. So, if you’re not also trying to get some studying in or if you were simply seeking some solitude, heading to B&N earlier in the day is a safer bet. If you don’t mind the company, then head there at any time! '''Time to Pay! ''' If cafés aren’t your thing—or if you have other things to do—you can head over to the register to pay for whatever items you might have found on your trip! If you’re buying electronics, though, you’ll have to pay at the register in that section, because there are sensors that will most likely go off if you try to walk out of there without paying first. The main registers at the front of the store can be used for all other purchases! Just wait in line in the areas designated by green and blue signs, and voilà! Wait for the cashier to tell you that they’re ready for the next customer, and they can ring you up! '''A Note on Pricing Barnes & Noble is one of the largest retailers when it comes to the sale of literature. In fact, since Borders closed its stores, it hasn't had much in the way of competition in recent years. The only other big book peddler is Books A Million, and there's hardly one close to the UCF campus. Because it essentially has a monopoly on book sales in the UCF/Waterford area, prices could be an issue for some people. Even though they do have deals occasionally and members get a discount, the price of fueling your literature addiction is a little steep. So, if you're looking to save a bit, here are a few other options: # Go thrifting! There are tons of Goodwills in the area that have pretty extensive book sections. If you're not specifically looking for one thing, or if you have the time to browse, the prices are much more college-student-friendly there. If you're lucky, you might find a copy that isn't overly-annotated, or a newer novel that someone decided to give away. The books there are all around a one to three dollars, so you won't break the bank. # Hit the classic novels section! Of course, this is only convenient if you're looking for a piece of classical literature. But the Barnes & Noble Classics editions of novels are often cheap, ranging anywhere from $2-$10 depending on the copy. # Check out the clearance! Even though they might not be the most recent or trendiest books, you can find a lot of hidden gems in the clearance section for considerably less than full price! There are journals, study guides, history books, and tons of more things to be found! You just have to be willing to look. Not a Student? No Problem! Barnes & Noble is a frequent spot for students looking for somewhere to study. With ample tables in the cafe, it's no wonder that it's often packed during finals week! But if you're not a student and still want to get you B&N fix: have no fear! There are tons of places in the store that offer options other than sitting around a group of people furiously typing on their laptops. # Chairs: There are a couple of cozy love seats and benches placed near the magazine and clearance sections of the store. They're closer to the side of the store, with a view of the outside world and maybe even your car! If you're accompanying a child, you can head to the children's section. There's a large, colorful rug and even a few toys to keep the kids engaged! # Pop a squat: If all of the normal areas are full, you can always plop down along the stacks. Be careful, though! Technically, customers aren't supposed to sit in the aisles, as it can be a hazard for other shoppers. But if you're sitting at the very end of the aisle, closest to the wall, nobody will tell you anything! # When all else fails, try and try again: As a last resort, you can always take a few laps around the store until you think enough time has passed for a chair in the cafe has opened up. The tables there are a little small, so I don't suggest this option if you have more than one book and a laptop that need to be open at once. If you don't have much to bring, feel free to walk around a couple of times and browse. Someone might leave and you'll get the chance to pounce! The cafe is a great place to sit and read your latest find--especially if there's hardly anyone else there. Extra Information If you still can’t get enough of B&N, don’t worry. There are tons of cool events available to the public that can meet your needs! Barnes & Noble hosts many themed nights throughout the month that offer the opportunity to mingle with other book lovers. Many of these events are family-friendly, so you’ll most likely find a gaggle of children and parents there, too. These events are often advertised on signs posted at the front of the store, near the front entrance. Information might also be found posted on the front doors as convenient flyers on your way in! More information on upcoming events can also be found online at https://stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2998?view=list&month=Month&day=Day&type=SP. These events require no RSVPs or any advanced planning! You can just show up and partake in the fun! If you’re looking for more events related to the local literary scene, there’s no shortage of options in the area! For a more “mature” scene, check out local coffee shops like Stardust and Drunken Monkey. They often host themed open mic nights at least once a month. Information about the particulars of each event can be found on their respective websites. Tips & Tricks Barnes & Noble often offers a lot of different deals and specials that can save you some money. And if you’re a college student, you know that there’s nothing better than a good deal! Now, there are a couple of ways to save that bit of cash in your wallet from disappearing too quickly. * Get a membership! At just $25 a year, the Barnes & Noble membership is a great value for dedicated patrons. Each month members receive one free drink (limited to hot or iced coffee, tea, or hot chocolate) at the café as well as special deals and discounts exclusive to members. Just make sure that you provide a valid, active email address when you sign up so you can get notice on all off the deals! * Hit the café! When you purchase something from the café, be sure not to toss out those receipts! They often come with a buy one, get one free coupon for cookies. These coupons are only valid the next day, though, so don’t get too excited! * Watch the web! Barnes & Noble is always posting information on their website about their latest deals! Check out www.barnesandnoble.com as often as you can to stay privy to the best and biggest deals—especially during the winter months. Barnes & Noble is a wonderful place for people of all interests! You can find anything your heart might desire (aside from groceries and clothes) among the stacks. Go enough times and you’ll eventually know the Waterford Lakes Barnes & Noble like the back of your hand!